Aladdin on Ice

Copyright 1995 U.P.I.

Kristi Yamaguchi, America's 1992 Olympic figure skating gold medalist, turns actress in ''Disney's Aladdin On Ice'' this week. A perfect union of grace and beauty in a Disney make-believe world. What better American ice skater to match the Disney image of a princess? Nancy Kerrigan? Tonya Harding? The petite Yamaguchi, whose lissome dancing on skates is matched by a sweet and pleasing disposition, plays Jasmine in the ice extravaganza on CBS. Her co-star in the hour-long special is longtime skating pal and fellow Olympian Kurt Browning as Aladdin. ''Disney's Aladdin On Ice'' was filmed earlier this year in Egypt where Cairo Stadium was transformed into a sheik's tent and a chorus of more than 40 skaters joined Yamaguchi and Browning in colorful production numbers. Borrowed from Disney's hit animated feature film, the musical spectaculars include the Oscar-winning song ''A Whole New World,'' ''To Be Free,'' ''One Jump,'' ''Prince Ali'' and ''Friend Like Me.''

Yamaguchi, tinier than she appears on camera, looks five years younger than her 24 years. She still blushes when complimented. On a recent day she said, ''It was very interesting acting a role from a movie. ''It wasn't as difficult as I thought. When a skater competes in a dance session it's like an acting performance because you're playing a part.''

Since turning professional four years ago, Yamaguchi has become accustomed to TV's bright lights and cameras. ''I appear in five or six televised events a year,'' she said. ''I'm concentrating on touring shows, so I won't be competing in the 1998 Olympics. I don't think Katarina Witt will either. We're touring in the same show. ''We're all happy ice-skating has picked up a lot of popularity in recent years. I think televising the Olympics and World Championships are responsible.''

There is a special thrill for Yamaguchi when she skates in Japan, a nation which counts her one of their own. ''I've skated in Japan three times,'' she said. ''They're very friendly and responsive. But I don't think I'm quite as popular there as the Japanese skaters. ''It was fun doing 'Aladdin' in Egypt. We did all the skating in the arena, but we also shot scenes in front of the pyramids and in the marketplace.

''Naturally, most of the show is on the ice. Kurt and I have two solos each. We do a small duet together. Kurt has numbers with the genie and a flying carpet. ''There is the opening number and the finale, but the story is told off the ice too. ''Neither one of us had to speak lines. That's done by a narrator. It would be impossible to speak lines while we were skating anyhow.

''It was interesting and a challenge to act without dialogue. I suppose it was like old silent pictures, having facial expressions and body language speak for us.

''It's different from competitive skating because we're able to act out emotions.

''We both saw the movie version and enjoyed bringing the Disney characters to life.

''At times we giggled when we had to look at each other romantically. It was funny. Professional pairs skating gives us the freedom to do anything we want creatively.

''Playing my scenes and skating with Kurt was easy because we're such good friends.''

Kristi says the Olympic level of international skating is a small community. Most of the stars are friends, especially those on tour. ''I'm currently a member of Discover Card Stars on Ice,'' Yamaguchi said. ''We're about to start a tour of 55 cities in the United States and 10 in Canada.

''We start right after Christmas and continue through May.

''Kurt and I are in the show. So is Katarina, Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie, Rosalyn Sumners and some others.

''There are 14 skaters in the company, working together, living together and hanging out after the shows when we're not too tired. A tight-knit group.

''Our opening night in Lake Placid (N.Y.) will be televised by TBS with a two-hour special, then we start the tour in the San Francisco Bay area where I grew up.

''The important thing for us is to stay in good shape and to stay healthy. We have to avoid illness and injury. But it's wonderful playing for responsive audiences. It's something I'd like to do for the next five or six years.

''This is my fourth year with the tour, which changes a little bit from year to year.

''For now I like the show business part of ice-skating. I miss being home with my family in Reno. But I enjoy performing for a crowd.

''There's more stress on tour than training for competition because there's more going on. You're performing with less preparation time. But the intensity isn't as great.

''The tour is exhausting because you spend so much more time on the ice, about 20-25 minutes a night. In competition you're only out there for about five minutes.''